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SADC observer mission final report reinforces claim Zimbabwe poll was flawed
13 Oct 2023 at 06:48hrs | Views
A final report from the SADC Election Observer Mission (SEOM) regarding Zimbabwe's elections on August 23 has once again underlined the group's initial assertion that the electoral process in the country was marred by significant flaws that may have biased the outcome against the opposition.
In their preliminary report, which had previously elicited a strong reaction from Zimbabwean authorities, SEOM had stated that the election was riddled with irregularities and did not conform to regional and international standards for conducting credible elections.
In their concluding report, SEOM reaffirmed their concerns about the electoral process that secured President Emmerson Mnangagwa a controversial second term, emphasizing that "some aspects of the Harmonized Elections did not meet the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021)."
Furthermore, SEOM raised questions about the independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), particularly due to the close connections some of its commissioners had with senior officials of the ruling Zanu-PF party. The report recommended that if it is confirmed that certain ZEC Commissioners are closely linked to senior ruling party members, such connections should be considered as grounds for disqualification in the recruitment of ZEC officials, in accordance with Section 11(2) of the Electoral Act and Section 4.1.9 of the SADC Principles and Guidelines.
SEOM's recommendations included urging ZEC to make the voters' roll available to stakeholders, allowing ample time for inspection and verification in accordance with the Electoral Act. They also called for the government to involve other stakeholders in the design of ballot papers to enhance transparency and establish clear timelines for providing the voters' roll and ballot information.
Given concerns about the perceived partiality of ZEC, the mission encouraged ZEC to adopt a proactive communication strategy that engages stakeholders at all stages of the electoral process, aiming to build confidence and a sense of ownership among key stakeholders and the general public.
Lastly, SEOM stressed the importance of all concerned parties using appropriate legal channels to address any grievances related to the election results to ensure the exhaustion of domestic legal remedies.
In their preliminary report, which had previously elicited a strong reaction from Zimbabwean authorities, SEOM had stated that the election was riddled with irregularities and did not conform to regional and international standards for conducting credible elections.
In their concluding report, SEOM reaffirmed their concerns about the electoral process that secured President Emmerson Mnangagwa a controversial second term, emphasizing that "some aspects of the Harmonized Elections did not meet the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021)."
Furthermore, SEOM raised questions about the independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), particularly due to the close connections some of its commissioners had with senior officials of the ruling Zanu-PF party. The report recommended that if it is confirmed that certain ZEC Commissioners are closely linked to senior ruling party members, such connections should be considered as grounds for disqualification in the recruitment of ZEC officials, in accordance with Section 11(2) of the Electoral Act and Section 4.1.9 of the SADC Principles and Guidelines.
SEOM's recommendations included urging ZEC to make the voters' roll available to stakeholders, allowing ample time for inspection and verification in accordance with the Electoral Act. They also called for the government to involve other stakeholders in the design of ballot papers to enhance transparency and establish clear timelines for providing the voters' roll and ballot information.
Given concerns about the perceived partiality of ZEC, the mission encouraged ZEC to adopt a proactive communication strategy that engages stakeholders at all stages of the electoral process, aiming to build confidence and a sense of ownership among key stakeholders and the general public.
Lastly, SEOM stressed the importance of all concerned parties using appropriate legal channels to address any grievances related to the election results to ensure the exhaustion of domestic legal remedies.
Source - zimlive
